Engine starter



April 19, 1960 R, R, RUTH 2,933,077

ENGINE STARTER Filed June 30, y1958 u, 40 1,' REuaE/v @As/#EL Rum W Mr ATTD RN EYS 4 ENGINE STARTER g 1 Reuben Rashel Ruth, Lawrenceville, lll.

Application June Si?, 1958, Serial No. 745,402

1 Claim. (Cl. 123-185) rl'his invention relates to an engine starter, and more particularly to a starter for an internal combustion engine. This invention is an improvement over the enginerstarter shown and described in my cci-pending patent application, Serial No. 679,261.

The object of the invention is to' provide an engine starter which includes an improved means for preventing back ring of an engine from injuring the person operating the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine starter which includes a spring pressed mechanism which is capable of movement in the event of an engine back re or in the event that the engine starts to turn over too fast, so that the person using the crank will not become hurt or injured.

A further object of the invention is to provide -an' engine starter which is simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, light in Weight, and 'which may be manu factured at low cost.

All ofthe foregoing and still further objects and advan- .tages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l1 is a longitudinal sectional View illustrating the ,engine vstarter of the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l. l

. Figure 3 is a `sectional view taken on'the line 3.-3of Figurel.

United States Patent 'Figure 4 is..a fragmentary perspective View illustrating certain constructional details of the device. Referring in detail to. the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the engine starter .of the present invention, and

the engine starter 10 includes la hollow housing .which is4 indicated generally `by the numeral 11.4 The housing 11 .includes an end wall 12 which is provided withv an aperture 13, and the housing 11 further includes a cylindrical sidewall 14 which is provided with an opening 15, Figures :1 .and 2.

The numeral 16 indicates a support member which is arranged in the housing '11, and the support member 16 is secured to vthe wall-14, -as for` example byv-means lof ysecuring.elements 217.V The numeralv 1-'8 indicatesa flange on ythe-housing 11, and the flange 18 is providedwith openings 19 `whereby suitable securing elements such as bolts can be extended through the openings 19 whereby lhfange .Gah beholted. unsecured, rotan enginLzerjther supporting structure.

There is further provided a first shaft which is indicated generally by the numeral 2l), and the shaft 20 extends through the aperture 13 in the end wall 12. The numeral 21 indicates a rst bevel gear which is mounted on the shaft 20, and a coil spring 22 is circumposed on the shaft 20 and abuts the bevel gear 21, there being a stop member 23 for holding the coil spring 22 in place.

2,933,077 Patented Apr, 19, i960 ics.

As shown in the drawings, there is .further provided a hand crank which is indicated generally by the numeral 24, and the hand crank 24 includes a hand engaging portion 25, a straight portion 26, and a shaft section 27, Figure 1.

Mounted on the shaft section 27 of the hand crank 24 is a second bevel gear 28, and the teeth of the bevel gear 28 mesh with the teeth of the bevel gear 21. The numeral 29 indicates a disk `which'is mounted on the shaft 20, and the disk 29 abuts or engages the bevel gear 28.

There is further provided a base member which is indi cated generally by the numeral 30, and the base member 30 is mounted on the shaft section 27. The base member 30 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart sockets or recesses 32, and a spring member 33 is positioned in each socket 32. Pin members 34 engage the spring members 33, as for example as shown in `Figure l.

Extending from the support member 16 and secured thereto or formed integral therewith is a plate 35. The numeral 36 indicates a cylindrical casing or cylinder which has an end member 37 connected to the plate 35 as at 38. The casing 36 further includes a cylindrical wall member 39 Iwhich is provided with inner slotted cam surfaces 40 that define shoulders or cam surfaces 41, Figure 4. `These cam surfaces 41 and slots 4i? are adapted to be engaged by the pin members 34 which are urged outwardly by means of the springs 33.

The casing 36 is maintained in its proper position by means of a spacer member 42 which is adapted to be connected to the support member 16 by means or" securing elements such as the bolts 43.

The numeral 44 indicates a pin or stud which serves to connect the base member 3i! to the shaft section 27..

There is further provided guide pins 45 which engage registering openings 46 and 47 in the base member 3d and bevel gear 2S respectively, Figure 2. The numeral 48 indicates a key or pin which extends through a slot 49 in the shaft 20 and interengages with the bevel gear 21. A lug 50 is carried by the shaft 2d, and the lug 50 is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with a recess or slot 51 in thel motor shaft 52. From the foregoing, it is apparent lthat there has been provided an engine starter which is an improvement over the engine starter' shown and described in my` prior patent application;Y Serial No. 679,261. The present invention is constructed so that in the event of a backfire of the engine,injury to a person holding the crank 24-will be` prevented. The crank. 24 is adapted to be manually gripped by means of the portion 2S, andby manually rotating the crank 24, the vbase 30 will be rotated. As the base 3d rotates, it causes the pins 45 to turn, and as these guide pins 45 turn, they move the bevel gear 28 in a rotary fashion. Since the ybevel gear 28 has its teeth meshing with the teeth ofithe bevel `gear 21, it will be seen that this rotation of the bevel gear 128 will result in rotation of the bevel gear 21. 1n View of the fact that the bevel gear 21 is connected to the shaft 20 'as at 48, it Will be seen that the shaft 20 will rotate as the crank 24 is turned or :manually rotated. The lug S0 on the end of the shaft 2tlis Aadapted to engage the slot 51 in the motor shaft .then the cycle starts all over again. -in place by means of the compression spring 31. The

the base member 30 are the two pins 34 which are urged outwardly by meansofV compression springs 33. There is further provided the pins 45 which connect the bevel gear 2S to the base membertl, .and the compression spring 31 holds the base member 3.6 and its associated parts in their proper position.r By pulling the crank 24 back against the compression spring 31 the pins 45 will Ibecome disengaged from the bevel gear 28. In case of a back iire, the slots 40 and cam surfaces 41 permit this backward movement to take place automatically so that in case of a back tire the crank can disengage itself from .the bevel gear 28.

The casing is cylindrical as shown in the drawings, and the casing 36 is held in place by means of the bolt 38 and spacer member 42. The spacer member 42 is secured inthe support member by means of the bolts 43. Arranged inside of the casing or cylinder 36 are the spiral grooves or slots 40, Figure 4. The shaft 20 is capable of shifting or sliding movement, and 'the disk 29 abuts the bevel gear 28 at all times so that the disk 29 acts as a roller guide for the bevel gear 28 in order to hold the bevel gear 28 in its proper aligned position and the disk 29 also serves to urge the bevel gear 28 against the adjacent end of the casing 36. The disk 29 is held in place by means of securing elements 53.

Arranged on the lower portion of the shaft l20 is the coil spring 22, and the member 23 abuts the coil spring 22 and is held in place by suitable securing elements.

T he operation of the back fire `safety device is as follows. The base 30 is capable of rotation within the casing 36. Thus, by turning the crank 24 in a clockwise directionythe pins 34 will be compressedA or moved inwardly to cempress the coil springs 33, when the pins 34 engage 4the surfaces 41. After the pins 34 pass over the surfaces 4l, the springs 32 will urge the pins 34 outwardly until the pins 34 strike -another surface 41and The base 30 is held pins 45 extend into the oval shaped holes or slots 47 in the bevel gear 28 so that when the crank 24 is rotated in a clockwise direction', the bevel gear 28 will be rotated in a clockwise direction. In cranking an engine, the engine may back fire so as to cause a reverse turn of the crank 24 and if this occurs, the crank 24 will slide backward so as to pull the base 30 with it. When :this occurs, the pins 34 strike :the cam surfaces 41 so as to move inwardly and this causes the base member 30 to cause the guide pins 45 to move out of the slots 47 in the bevel gear Z8 so that the bevel gear 28 Ywill be released whereby. the .drive shaft 2b is free to spin .or rotate.

lt is to be'noted that the roller disk 29 holds the bevel gear 28 up against the casing36 and after the back re the lug 56 on the end of the shaft 20 will engage with slots 51 in the motor shaft 52 so that this operation will rotate the motor shaft 52 whereby an engine can be started.

The members 36 and 30 abut the bevel gear 28 as shown in Figures l and 2. The rear ends of the pins 45 are welded or otherwise secured to the rear of the member 30, as for example as shown in Figure 2.

The bevel gear 28 has the openings 47 therein, and

these openings 47 may be oblong or round, but they are larger in size than the pins 45.Y The pins 45 are Welded or rivetedv or otherwise secured to the member 30 on the back side of the member 30 so that when a backfire occurs, the pins 45 will slide out of the openings 47 in the bevel gear 2S.

The bevel gear 28 and the adjacent end of the member 36 contact .or abut each other. The disk 29 whichv end wall provided with an aperture therein, said housing further including a cylindrical side wall provided with an opening, a support member mounted .in said housing and secured to said side wall, a rst shaft having a portion thereof projecting through the aperture vin said end wall, a first bevel gear connected to said rst shaft, a coil spring mounted on said rst `shaft and abutting said rst vbevel gear, .a stop member holding the coil spring in place, said coil spring abutting said iirst bevel gear, a hand crank having a portion thereof projecting .through the opening in the sidewall of said housing, said crank including a shaft section, a second bevel gear mounted on said shaft section, said second -bevel gear meshing with said .rst bevel gear, a disk mounted on said rst shaft and abutting said second bevel gear, a base member mounted on said shaft section, a coil spring mounted on said shaft section kand abutting .said base member, there being a plurality of spaced yapart .sockets :in said base member, spring members arranged in said sockets,

i pin members abutting said spring members, a plate -extending from said support member, a casing having an .and member secured to said plate, said casing including a cylindrical wall member provided with inner slotted cam surfaces that dene shoulders for engagement with .said pin members, a spacer `member for maintaining the cas- ;iug in its 'proper position, `said spacer member being conmember and this also moves the base 30 with the pins 45 up against the bevel gear 28. As the hand crank 24 is rotated, the pins 45 will move into the openings 47 vand the disk 29 will hold the bevel gear 28 in its proper aligned position While this is taking place.

The parts can be Imade of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

To start the engine, the person or user manually pushes the shaft 20 down so that the slot 49 lpermits the `shaft 20 to move down and still be connected to the bevel gear neeted to .said support mem-ber, a stud connecting said `base .member tto said shaft section, and guide pins coni necting said base member to .said second bevel gear.

`References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Nov. 3, V1920 21 as at 4S. By manually pushing the shaft 20 down, 

